


Reach For Me in the Dark

by imaginethat57



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, leopold - Freeform, marital rape, references to leopold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 12:57:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10922274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginethat57/pseuds/imaginethat57
Summary: Regina and Emma get stuck in an elevator, and to pass the time, Emma suggests they play truth or dare. Regina ends up revealing some past trauma centering around her marriage to the king. A little bit of angst, but mostly Swan Queen fluff.





	Reach For Me in the Dark

Emma pressed the call button for the elevator repeatedly. She was late and she knew it. She hated this feeling, of rushing around, feeling guilty, and making people wait for her. She hated it and still she found she couldn’t make it on time anywhere. Regina had told her once that she was pathologically tardy. It seemed apt now, as she felt this would someday be the death of her.

Finally, the elevator dinged, and the metal door slid open. Emma sighed in relief and hurried inside, noting the one other person inside the car. None other than Regina Mills. Emma offered her a genuine smile, though it was somewhat tempered by her panic to get to her appointment on time.

She pushed the button for the fourth floor, watched it light up. Regina smiled back at her, and though she must have noted Emma’s panting breaths and disheveled state, she made no comment. Instead she said, “Hello, Emma.”

“Hi, Regina.” Emma replied, still a little out of breath. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to look at least somewhat presentable. “What’s up?” She added, almost as a second thought as she feared being rude in her haste.

Regina smirked at her, and Emma could tell she just knew that Emma was late for something. With an amused lilt to her voice, Regina said, “Well, nothing of interest is ‘up,’ Emma.” The expression fell off her tongue in a somewhat awkward manner, but she continued to say with much more eloquence, “In a bit of rush, are we? You couldn’t be late for something, could you?”

Emma huffed, and watched the elevator indicate it had made it to the third floor. Regina was only teasing gently, and it wouldn’t have ruffled Emma’s feathers if she wasn’t so antsy already, and if Regina hadn’t been right about the situation. “I’m sure you’ll be shocked to hear it, but yes, I am running late.” Emma said.

She stared at the floor indicator, waiting for the number 4 to light up. But it didn’t. Instead, the elevator came to a grinding halt, a loud thunk sounded from somewhere in the elevator shaft, and the lights went off. The elevator car was shaking, and loud screeching and banging noises sounded around them.

“Emma?” Regina called out, and if Emma didn’t know any better she would say there was an almost tremulous quality to her voice.

“Yeah, I’m right here.” Emma said, and she extended her hand without thinking. They fumbled for a second, not being able to see their hands in the dark, but they soon found the other’s and clasped them tight together. It had become a natural response for them, to reach out for each other when facing danger. A silent manner of assuring the other. _We’ll do this together_.

“Come on,” she shouted over the noise, “Let’s get out of here.”

She felt Regina grip her hand tighter and both women summoned their magic to transport them out of the elevator. Emma waited for the tingling to race up her spine, and the feeling of weightlessness that told her she was teleporting. Only it never came.

“Regina, I can’t teleport. Can you?” Emma said, panic rising.

“No.”

Emma grasped the safety bar on the wall behind them and widened her stance to maintain her balance. Eventually the elevator stopped clanging and shaking, and stilled. The lights remained off, but the clamor and trembling had calmed. Emma squeezed Regina’s hand in hers and said, “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I believe so.” Came the quiet reply.

Emma took a moment to concentrate, trying to summon any of her magic to the surface. But nothing came to her. “Can you do any magic?” She asked.

For a minute, Regina was quiet and Emma assumed she was focusing herself, doing much the same as Emma had a moment ago. Emma thought she could make out some motions of Regina’s arm through the incredibly dim lighting, but they weren’t producing the usually fiery results that Regina was accustomed to.

Finally, Regina said, “I cannot.”

“Well, I guess I’m definitely going to miss my appointment now.” Emma muttered, and though there was a certain exasperation to her demeanor, she found herself landing much more squarely in the realm of ‘ _fuck it._ ’

“How long do you suppose we’ll be in here for?” Regina asked mournfully.

“No idea.” Emma said, and she shrugged with the words. Regina felt the motion through their connected hands more than saw it without the lights. “It could be half an hour, it could be several hours. We have to wait for someone to find us.”

“Well, for whatever reason our magic isn’t working, obviously, and right now we can’t know whether this was some kind of accident, if it’s affecting all magic users, or if this is some kind of targeted attack.” Regina added.

“Which means, I guess, that we better hope whoever finds us didn’t knock our magic out on purpose.” Emma said. “And to sum up, in the meantime we’re stuck. And all we can really do is wait.”

Regina groaned, and Emma heard the sound of her back thudding against the wall behind them. Emma leaned back as well, and she allowed herself to slide to the floor. If she was stuck waiting in here for her own doom she might as well get comfortable beforehand. She heard the sound of fabric sliding against the wall and felt Regina settle next to her.

“Now what?” Emma said.

“Now we sit.” Regina answered in a matter of fact manner. Their hands were still clasped together, though they’d both seemed to have forgotten about the contact. Silence fell over them, and blanketed the small elevator car. Emma jiggled her leg, ran her fingers over the carpet, clicked her tongue, anything she could think of to entertain herself. After about twenty minutes of nothing but the occasional click of Emma’s tongue to break the silence, Emma sighed.

“Regina, I’m bored.”

“We’re trapped in a metal box suspended by a delicate system of chords, mechanics, and pulleys that could be damaged, potentially waiting to be ambushed by an attacker, and you’re bored?” Sass and disbelief dripped from every word.

“Well, yeah. I’m either bored or I’m scared out of my wits. So, I’m going with bored.” Emma said, and she could almost hear Regina rolling her eyes.

“Well what would you like me to do about it?” Regina said, and if Emma were a more cautious person, maybe it would have given her pause, a cause for trepidation at least, before continuing.

Emma had never been one much for prudency, however, and so she went on full steam ahead. “I don’t know help me entertain myself.”

“You do realize that that is a skill children develop at a young age.” Came the retort, and Emma almost could have counted on it.

“Yes, I’m a child. Very original, Regina. Play truth or dare with me.” Emma said, with a roll of her eyes that she’d never admit she picked up from Regina.

“Also a game for children.” Regina said, but there wasn’t really any bite to it, so Emma happily ignored it.

“Great so I’ll start. Truth or dare?” Emma asked.

“I don’t remember agreeing to play.” Regina said, and Emma wondered if that haughty tone was hard to maintain.

“You also didn’t refuse. So, truth or dare?” Emma pointed out.

Regina harrumphed, and she would have crossed her arms if hers and Emma’s hands weren’t still clasped. Finally, she grudgingly said, “Dare.”

“Sing the first three lines of A Whole New World.” Emma said.

“What? I don’t know them. Disney is insipid.” Regina all but spluttered, instantly indignant at the assumption.

“Nice try. I’m a human lie detector. Plus I _know_ you love Aladdin. I’ve seen you watching it more than once.” Emma said, a shit eating grin spreading across her face.

Regina grumbled to herself for a moment about invasions of privacy, but then she cleared her throat and began to sing. Her voice was deep and melodic as she sang, _“I can show you the world, shining shimmering, splendid. Tell me princess, when did you last let your heart decide?”_

After she finished the intro, she shut her mouth quickly and tried to fight the heat rising in her cheeks. Emma stared at her, looking at the shape of her face in the dark. She realized her jaw was hanging open, so she snapped it shut.

“Wow.”

“It wasn’t that bad.” Regina said, bristling.

“It wasn’t bad at all Regina, it was great. Your voice is beautiful.” Emma said, and she squeezed Regina’s hand as she bumped their shoulders together hoping Regina would see she was sincere.

“Thank you.” Regina said in a whisper, as though she were suddenly shy to let that voice be heard.

A silence fell over them again, and Emma realized that she had been staring still. So she said, “Okay your turn.”

“Right. Truth or dare?” Regina asked.

“Truth.”

“If Henry wasn’t born in prison, would you have kept him?” Regina asked her question as though she were asking Emma her favorite pizza topping.

“Wow coming out swinging on your first question.” Emma said, a little thrown by Regina’s bluntness. She swiped a hand down her face, and continued to say, “No. I wouldn’t have. Even if I hadn’t been in prison, I was still just a kid, with no home, no family, no money, and no one to help me. I was so lost emotionally, I had no idea who I was. I knew I couldn’t be a mother though.”

“You’re a wonderful mother to Henry, Emma.” Regina said, and Emma had to suck in a sharp breath of air because sometimes she could even believe Regina when she said things like that to her.

“Maybe now. But I wouldn’t have been when Henry was born. You know I love him more than life, Regina, but I stand by the choice I made. He needed his best chance, he deserved that. And it wasn’t with me. It was with you. He needed you. He still does.” Emma could feel herself getting emotional as she spoke, and she thought she might have heard a quiet sniffle come from Regina. She needed to change the subject and move away from this emotional landmine.

“Okay, my turn.” She said, asking Regina, “truth or dare.”

“Dare.”

“Umm, okay, declare officially as mayor that every Thursday is Bear Claw Day.” Emma said smugly. “And as part of official Bear Claw Day, the sheriff gets free bear claws.”

“Seriously?” Regina asked, incredulous.

“Dead serious.” Emma was unfazed.

“You do realize that no one will ever hear this proclamation but you, me, and the elevator?” Regina said, and her incredulity had moved more to the special exasperation that Emma liked to think was reserved for herself alone. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Alright. Every Thursday in Storybrooke shall henceforth be bear claw day, and the Sheriff will be presented with free bear claws.” Regina said, and she added a ceremonial wave of her hand. Emma smiled a little smugly, and though she realized the officialness of Regina’s proclamation could be called into question it didn’t sour her mood. So with her large grin she turned to Regina and waited expectantly.

Regina huffed a little, putting up a pretense that she wasn’t enjoying their game. Emma knew she was enjoying herself, however, because of the way her eyes shined even through the dark room. Those eyes always went with Regina’s beautiful smile. Emma didn’t call her on it though, she was happy to let Regina hold onto her grumpy façade.

“Truth or dare?” Regina said.

“Dare.” Emma said.

They spent another twenty minutes going back and forth like this. Regina ended up wearing Emma’s red leather jacket, and Emma had had to stand on her head for one minute. Regina had also learned that Emma’s most embarrassing moment was when she was in middle school and her pants fell down during a class presentation, and several other interesting tidbits about the blonde.

Emma was beginning to get bored again, but she decided to go for one more round. “Truth or dare?” She asked.

Regina said “Dare.” And Emma began to wonder if she was growing bored too with the weary tone she spoke in.

“Uh…” Emma drawled out the word as she tried to think. “Next time we have a movie night after Henry goes to bed you have to run topless down Mifflin Street.”

“What?” Regina hissed, offended at the very idea. “I will do no such thing Miss Swan. And besides, that doesn’t even count. You can’t dare me to do something I can’t do right now.”

“Well fine, then pick your own dare, cause I’m out. All you’ve picked is dare and I’ve got none left. Why don’t you pick truth?” Emma said.

“Fine, Miss Swan. Truth. Ask your silly question.” Regina said, and if she was still indignant at Emma’s suggestion that she streak down Mifflin Street, she hid it in her haughtiness.

Emma smiled, but the expression soon faded. She had no idea what to ask Regina. She didn’t want to copy any of Regina’s questions, that was no fun. She turned it over in her brain, trying to think of one. But in true Emma Swan fashion, she just decided to go with the first thing that popped into her mind.

“How did you lose your virginity?” She asked with a chuckle, hoping Regina would know the question was meant to be lighthearted.

But Regina didn’t seem to take it that way, because the air in the elevator shifted. The already dark box seemed to grow darker in atmosphere. Regina stiffened and her back was ramrod straight. Emma reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, and Regina jumped. Emma retracted her hand and whispered, “Regina, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Came the terse reply. “I want a dare.”

“What? Regina, we already went through that. I don’t have any more dares. I mean I guess you don’t have to answer the question, but you do have to tell me if you’re okay.” Emma said, voice soft.

“I’m fine.” Regina said again, with an acidic bite to it. Emma didn’t say anything this time, but she offered her hand to take again if Regina wanted it, to resume holding hands as they’d done earlier.

Their eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and Regina could see the outline of Emma’s hand facing palm up. Hesitantly, she took it, and took in a deep breath when Emma squeezed it. She closed her eyes, and Emma watched a myriad of emotions cross her face. Regina seemed to be closing her eyes tighter and tighter, and Emma watched as she sunk into her own world. Regina started to whisper something, and at first Emma couldn’t make it out. She listened closely, and when she understood what Regina was saying her stomach plummeted.

“I’m sorry, I’ll be a good wife. I’m sorry, please don’t.” She repeated it over and over.

Emma squeezed Regina’s hand in hers, and brought her other to sandwich Regina’s hand between her own. She rubbed the hand, not wanting to touch Regina anywhere else and startle her like before. She said, “Hey, Regina, I’m here. You’re here with me. You’re with Emma. I won’t hurt you. You’re safe.”

Regina opened her eyes, and there was an almost wild quality to them. Tears were leaking out now, and she looked at Emma. She gripped Emma’s hand so hard it began to hurt. She looked Emma dead in the eye, and she said, “The King. That’s how.”

“The King? Snow White’s father? My-“ Emma cut herself off there when she realized she was related to this man, it made her blood boil and her stomach roil with nausea.

“I was eighteen. He was in his fifties. I- I never wanted to marry him, but I wasn’t given a choice. And I wasn’t given a choice about fulfilling my _wifely duties_ either.” Regina spit the words ‘wifely duties’ with venom, and Emma felt the roiling in her gut increase tenfold. She had to fight back a heave. Regina continued, “He came to my chambers on our wedding night. I’d never done these things with Daniel, we’d never gotten there. I wasn’t sure what was happening, exactly. But then he was on top of me, and” Regina’s voice broke, and she took in a shuddering breath, “It hurt. I bled. He told me if I was to be a good wife I’d have to get used to it. Then he left. The handmaidens came in and cleaned me up. They said nothing. No one said anything.” Regina’s voice was growing impossibly smaller, and finally she said, “No one did anything.”

Emma stared blankly at the locked elevator doors for a few minutes. She was trying not to throw up, and fighting her rising rage. She had no idea what to say. Finally she settled on, “I’m glad you killed him.”

“Emma, he was your grandfather.” Regina said weakly.

“No. No.” Emma said with fire. “I claim no relation to that despicable monster. What he did was unforgivable and he deserved to die a horrible, painful death.”

Regina said nothing, she just shuffled a little where she sat. Emma could sense her growing discomfort. “Hey Regina, I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”

“Thank you.” Regina whispered.

“Regina?”

“Yes?”

“Can I, well, can I hold you?” Emma asked.

For a moment Regina stiffened again, though Emma hadn’t thought it was possible for her to grow any tenser. But then Regina breathed out a quiet, “Yes.”

Emma let go of Regina’s hand with her right hand, though she still clasped it with her left, and wrapped her right arm around Regina’s shoulders. She didn’t tug Regina closer to her, but Regina moved so of her own accord. She scooched closer into Emma’s side, and leaned her head on Emma’s shoulder. Emma rubbed Regina’s bicep up and down in what she hoped was a soothing motion.

“I’m sorry I brought it up today, I didn’t know. You didn’t deserve that, Regina.” Emma said fiercely.

“Emma, I was-“ Regina started to say, but Emma cut her off.

“No, Regina, nothing you could have done would justify what he did to you. You didn’t deserve it. And I don’t care that you became the Evil Queen eventually. You did not deserve that.” Emma said, and she leaned her head so that it rested against the top of Regina’s.

Regina was quiet for a long time. But she spoke eventually, in a tiny, broken voice, “Can you tell me that from time to time? Cause I don’t think I believe you, but sometimes I need to hear it.”

“Anytime you need to hear it, Regina, just say the word. I mean it one thousand percent.” Emma promised.

They remained like that for a while, Emma holding Regina close, and Regina taking the occasional gulping breath, then burying her face in Emma’s neck. They had forgotten about their game, and they were just clinging to each other now. Emma wasn’t sure how much time had passed since they’d been like this, nor since the elevator had malfunctioned. Her butt was starting to fall asleep, though, and she decided it had been a long time.

A sudden clanging sound startled both women. Regina whipped her head around then said, “Do you think we’ve fallen further down the elevator shaft?”

“I don’t know.” Emma said.

In the next instant the lights flickered back on, and the sound of gears turning filled the elevator. The moment after that, the doors opened up to reveal their son standing in the hallway.

“Moms!” Henry shouted, and he rushed forward to drop to his knees and pull both women into a crushing hug where they sat still embracing. Emma saw Regina wiping at her eyes, trying to hide how much she’d been crying, no doubt.

“I was so worried about you.” Henry said as he hugged his moms tighter. Regina pulled back out of the hug for a minute and cupped Henry’s cheek with her hand.

“Emma and I are just fine, Henry.” She smiled at him indulgently.

“Yeah, we’re alright kid.” Emma added, and clasped Henry’s shoulder. “How did you find us?”

“Mom told me she was here earlier. And Ma, I knew you had your appointment here today too. We checked Mom’s office and she wasn’t there, and we looked around some more, and we figured you guys must be in the elevator. Leroy’s been working on the elevator for like a half hour to get you guys out.” Henry explained.

“So what happened then?” Regina asked, turning her attention to Leroy.

But before the dwarf could open his mouth, Henry jumped in again, “Rumpelstiltskin. We don’t know exactly what he did. But some kind of dark magic came out of his shop earlier. At least that’s what Grandpa said, he was on the street. It knocked out power in half the town, and magic is down. Which is why you guys didn’t poof out of here, right?”

“That would be correct.” Regina said. She began straightening her posture again, and Emma and Regina separated. They stood together, knees a little stiff from sitting on the floor. They all stepped out of the elevator together.

“Why were you guys hugging on the floor? And Mom, why are you wearing Ma’s jacket?” Henry asked, ever curious.

“Oh, ah…” Regina hedged, obviously growing nervous.

“I dared her to wear my jacket.” Emma explained. “I got bored and conned her into playing truth or dare with me.”

“Oh.” Henry said, and he seemed satisfied with that explanation. But he didn’t drop his other question. “So why were you hugging then?”

“I hate elevators. I got scared.” Emma said. It was a bald-faced lie, and everyone knew it. Henry was carefully observing Regina. And their clever boy, so intuitive, seemed to understand that Regina needed him not to push any further.

So, he smiled, and said, “Well you’re out now, Ma. Good thing you had each other, I guess.”

They all started walking down the hall, and Emma realized they were most likely heading off to face another battle. Regina smiled, and turned to Emma. “Yes. A very good thing.”


End file.
